Sunday, August 19, 2012

New Car: 2013 McLaren X-1

The one-of-a-kind McLaren X-1 concept debuted today at The Quail in Pebble Beach. The McLaren X-1 was built by McLaren Special Operations (MSO), the automaker’s bespoke division, at the request of a customer who came to the automaker three years ago asking for a car that was timeless and had “classical elegance.” Based on the MP4-12C’s monocell and running gear, the X-1 was built to be driven, not just displayed.

MSO consulted with the owner – who owns a McLaren F1, Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, and an MP4-12C – about his desires for the car. After much discussion, inspiration came from classic cars including a 1961 Facel Vega, a 1953 Chrysler D’Elegance Ghia, a 1959 Buick Electra, a 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540K, a 1971 Citroën SM and an Airstream trailer as well as architecture such as the Guggenheim museums in New York and Bilbao; décor and furniture (a Jaeger LeCoultre art deco clock, a Thomas Mann Montblanc pen, and a grand piano); an eggplant, and finally a black-and-white photo of Audrey Hepburn.

The bespoke wide body with pontoon-style rear fenders adds 7.4 inches of width and 4.3 inches of length to the McLaren X-1 concept compared the MP4-12C, which make it look like the love child of an Audi R8 and 1960s-era Batmobile. The X-1 concept’s body is carbon fiber with piano black paint . All exterior bright work is nickel-plated machined aluminum including the rear wing. Wheels are diamond-turned with a tinted finish.

Each piece of the McLaren X-1 concept was custom-made including the headlights and taillights – which were inspired by the McLaren Speed Marque logo – and wheels, which had to meet production car standards as it would be driven on the street. Once the car was completed it was driven 625 miles during testing before being rebuilt by hand for the Pebble Beach reveal.